The Pardoner's Tale, A Children's Story
by Harry no. I'd do Ron
Summary: An interpretation of pardoner’s tale from the Canterbury Tales, in the form of a Children’s Story. It was originally written for my English class, but there you go. I got extra credit for it and my mom thinks I’m special. Reviews Please. ONE SHOT


The Pardoner's Tale – A Children's Story

Here I stand today

We are not here to play.

As the cunning self that I am,

Please sit and take some bread and jam.

For I have a serious topic to address

I know your minds are like this and you won't fess

Up to being selfish or not thoughtful

You all have minds of a raging bull.

So, again please take a seat

Prick up your ears; don't miss a beat.

This story will inform of greed and excess:

When your conscience says no but you really say yes.

This is a tale of three friends of best

In whom two put the third to the test

All fighting to become a king

Yet all outcomes are a horrendous sting.

Let me tell you now – I do not promote greed.

I am the messenger, there is no need

To judge my personality based on this spiel

I'll have you know, afterwards you will feel

A great deal of stingy self.

So sit back and behold

The great story that is about to unfold:

In a forest far, far away,

An animal pack was gathered on this fine day.

Matty the mouse, Freddie the Fox, and a wolf named Walter,

They were waiting for something exciting to occur.

The sun had yet to rise.

When Patty the Pigeon arrived

and announced King Richard, the lion's demise.

His life had halted with an eternal sleep.

It was said that a man named Death took him without a peep.

The best advice is to steer clear of this being.

But this animal threesome acted without thinking,

When they decided to end Death's reign.

Their brotherhood was strong like a chain.

They would search high and low;

And no matter what, they would refuse to say no!

Searching over the mountains and across the plains,

The three grew sore and were covered in sweat stains.

They would do anything it took, and would act without fret,

Death, would be their target.

The pack came upon an old, wise frog,

And he gave them a friendly welcome to his bog.

These brotherly friends questioned the frog, "Why are you so old?"

"I have yet to find a youth for a my age to be sold,"

The elderly frog replied sadly, "I would gladly trade

But no beast on this earth will come to my aid.

So, I will stay at this age,

Until I reach my final page.

Even Death refuses to answer my plea,

And so I've decided to let it be.

However, haven't you heard?

Respect your elders is the new word.

You too will become old some day,

And you won't, I assure you, want to be treated this way."

"Wait just one second!" said Freddy, "Now, you better not lie!"

"We're on to you frog! Are you Death's spy?

I bet that you are, now tell us where he haunts!"

"Young lads, if it's Death that you want

Follow this path to the big oak tree,"

Said the frog, "and this is where Death will be,"

Matty, Freddie, and Walter hurried to the tree, and there they found

The late King Richard's castle ground,

Outside the castle was a large sign read "King Wanted,"

A free kingdom for sale, the advertisement said.

The pack lost interest in their initial goal.

Kingship, now, was the groups focus as a whole.

The eldest of the pack, Walter spoke.

"How could we have ever known when we awoke,

How incredibly lucky we would be?

I know if you told me yesterday, I would never believe.

God has blessed us with a present.

We could not ask for a better element."

"The entire kingdom will be ours for the taking

But we must wait until the good people are done waking.

We must camp out here now, and claim our throne,

To make sure the world knows that this kingship we own.

So here's the plan my two best friends,

That I have made to achieve our ends:

We need some food to keep us alive,

Until our new subjects in the morning arrive.

We'll draw straws to see who will go

And bring it back to the throne we cherish so."

So they all drew straws and as luck would have it,

Little Matty the mouse was the one to grab it.

He ran so fast his feet barely hit the ground,

Overjoyed by the luck that his friends had found.

As soon as Matty was out of sight,

Freddy the Fox had a ferocious scheme planned for that night:

"Walter, my good wolf friend,

We have been pals since birth so you know you can trust me,

But three's a crowd, and you know we'll never all agree.

Picture, for a minute, that old Matty was gone,

And it was just us two awaiting the kingdom at dawn."

"If only we could," Walter the wolf said with a smile,

"But how would we do it, he'll be back in a while!"

"Don't worry good friend, I have a plan,

To get rid of this mouse, if you trust me, we can."

"Of course I'm on your side, Walter replied.

I trust you, let's do it, whatever you decide."

"Alright then," said Freddy. And he laid out his plot,

"When that mouse returns we'll ask to see what he bought.

Then you will start a game of rough house,

And in the confusion we'll tie up that mouse!

And send him down the river we will,

By the time he comes back, we'll be kings and banish him to Brazil!"

And so they decided, their plan was flawless,

They'd trick their mouse friend, and leave him crownless.

But that smart little mouse had some thoughts of his own:

"How great would it be to be the only one on that throne?"

Matty the mouse, knew a wise old owl,

Who made dreadful sleep potions of the most foul.

He demanded the most powerful of the potions, price whatever,

And the owl gave him one to make the drinker sleep forever.

"Perfect," he said, as he scampered away,

"I'll just slip this in their food. Sleeping friends is a small price to pay!"

Proud of his genius, the little mouse ran,

Back to that greedy, selfish clan.

He rejoined his buddies in celebration,

And both Freddy and Walter got in formation.

In no time at all, Matty was floating down the river,

And the victorious pair decided to eat dinner.

With one bite each, they were both dead asleep,

And when morning came, the new king was a sheep!

These three so called friends deserved what they got,

Absolutely nothing, and for their greed they will rot.

These old pals found death, so it seems after all,

And let it be a lesson to you all!

Greed doesn't pay, and neither does sin,

But with God on your side, you will always win.

I'll help you I swear, this fate won't happen to you,

Leave all your money here, for it is what hinders you. This is true.


End file.
